Urlacher not counting on officials to slow Packers

Brian Urlacher says he will know him by the black and white striped shirt he wears, but otherwise he doesn't know who Terry McAulay is.

Maybe Urlacher will recognize McAulay with a yellow flag in his hand, the kind he and his crew spread all over Soldier Field in Week 3 when the Packers set a franchise record with 18 penalties, infractions that were marked off for 152 yards. It was the second-most ever in both categories for a Bears' opponent and now McAulay has been assigned as the referee for Sunday's NFC championship game. He also worked the 2006 NFC title game the Bears won.

"Perfect," Urlacher said. "I don't think it really matters. If they see holding, they'll call it. If they don't, they won't. Or if they see it and they don't want to call it, they won't. I don't know how that works. I don't even know how that guy is to tell you the truth. A lot of that stuff is ticky-tacky. I hope they let us play and let Pep (Julius Peppers) do what he does."

Peppers certainly contributed to the Packers' woes. Seven of the infractions were against offensive linemen, two of them false starts by left tackle Chad Clifton.

"The first time we played them, Pep got held three or four times so that is a big deal," Urlacher said.

Urlacher also said linebacker Pisa Tinoisamoa was held on Donald Lee's game-winning touchdown in the Week 17 meeting at Lambeau Field when the Packers had only four penalties for 30 yards.

"They ran the tight end play where he pulled our guy down and scored," he said.

Maybe with McAulay's crew, the calls won't be missed. The crew is different though as the NFL creates an all-star team of officials.